Planning for Facilitated Family Meetings

• Author: Julie A. Morton
• Pages: 385-400



PlanningforFacilitatedFamily

Meetings

JulieAMortonPhD*



Doyou everavoida dicultconversationwith familymembers or

colleagues

Do you everfe el that your family members or colleagues react to

something more in your conversations more than just the i ssue at

handHowaboutyou

Wouldoutsiders sayyour familyfamilyenterprise is supportive or

criticalofoneanother

Dodisagreementseverbecomeghtsabouthowyouaretalkingnot

whatyouaretalkingabout

Do you trust that your family members have your best interest at

heartordoyoueachhaveyourownagenda

Doyouevenknowwhatgoesonatyourfamilycompany

Doyouknowthegoalsandresponsibilitiesofeachfamilymember

Doyoudiscuss theobligationsto eachotherandtheexpectationsof

eachother

Doyoueverwishyourfamilywasmoreconnectedorsupportivein

importantways

Doyou know how toget your family from where they are nowto

whereyouwantthemtobe

Mostfamilyownedenterprisesandmostfamiliesrunintocrisisnot

becauseof external pressuresbutdueto internal pressuresInfactin

datacollectedbytheWilliamsGroupoveratwentysixyearperiodof

every

 OfConsciousLegac yCoaching

JAMPD

estatesthatwerestudiedthroughtra nsitionfailedOfthe

thatfailedfailedduetoabreakdownintrustandcom-

municationin thefamilyAconsequentialfailuretoprepare theheirs

forresponsibi litycaus edanotherfailuresand onlyfailedfor

allothercausesWithinthenalcategoryoutofthefamiliesthat

failedforall other causes onlyfailed because of errorsa ndover-

sight from all categories of professiona l.

Estatefailurewasdenedastheinvoluntarylossofcontroloftheassets

orthedissipationoftheclientsassetsandfamilyharmony

ThecomponentsofthehighfailureratearerepresentedinFigure

be lo w

FigureWhytheHighFailureRate

Obviouslytrustcommunicationandheirpreparednesspotentially

havea hugeimpact onfamilies andfamilyenterpriseHoweverwhat

exactlyaretrustcommunicationandheir preparedness Howdo we

immunize ourselves our fami lies and our family enterprise against

thesefailuresOneway todo this is through family councils and the

familymeetingswhichsupportthem

 TheWilliam sGroupproprietaryresea rchperformedbet weenPub-

lishedinRoyWilli amsVicPreisserPreparingHeirsFiveStepstoaSuccess

fulTransitionofFamilyWealthandValuesSanFranciscoRobertDReedat

 RoyWilliamsVicPreis serPhilanthropyHeirsandValuesHowSuccessfulFamilies

AreUsingPhilanthropytoPrepareTheirHeirsf orPosttransitionResponsibilitiesBa n-

donORRobertDReedat

 TheWilliam sGroupproprietaryresea rchperformedbet weenpub-

lishedinWill iamsPreisserPrepar ingHeirsabovenoteat

Breakdown of communication

and trust within family

Heirs unprepared for required

roles and accountability

All other cases